A residential oil tank being removed from the ground by machinery. Decommissioned oil tanks which were used to store home heating oil for oil heat furnaces should be removed from the ground to prevent an oil leak and soil contamination. Before removal the oil tank needs to be cut open and the oil and oil sludge needs to be pumped out of the tank. This job should be done by a certified and insured oil tank removal company.

Nowadays, during the sale of a house, it is more and more common for mortgage companies to not issue a mortgage unless a decommissioned oil tank is removed. This is because if there is a hole in an oil tank and if oil leaks from the tank there could be costly soil remediation that is required. Some homeowners insurance offer coverage for leaky oil tanks or oil contaminated soil. After it is removed, the oil tank will be used for scrap metal and the oil will be properly recycled.

Pipes covered in asbestos insulation in a residential basement. Asbestos removal needs to be done by an experienced certified asbestos abatement company to prevent the asbestos fibers from becoming airborne. Inhaling asbestos fibers can lead to certain types of health problems such as asbestosis or mesothelioma down the road. This has led to many asbestos-related lawsuits.

Asbestos was commonly used in insulation in older houses until it was found to be unsafe in the 1970s. The disposal of asbestos is also highly regulated to prevent further asbestos contamination. The dangers of asbestos exposure is another reason that sellers hire asbestos removal companies before the buyer closes on a property.